Few people fully grasp the size and scope of America’s transportation infrastructure or the economic impact of the U.S. transportation construction industry. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is setting out to change that during 2012 National Transportation Week, held May 13-19.

McLanahan Corp. has created new leadership positions, according to the company. Ken Kirsch was promoted to the position of vice president of operations. Prior to filling this newly created role, Kirsch served as director of business process operations. Kirsch brings more than 20 years of experience at McLanahan relating to engineering, project management, quality, business processes and more. He will be responsible for providing leadership regarding McLanahan’s operations.

On May 8, the Surface Transportation Bill Conference Committee began negotiations to reconcile the Senate’s surface transportation bill, MAP-21 (S. 1813), with the measure approved by the House (H.R. 4248).

The list of housing markets showing measurable and sustained improvement held virtually unchanged in May at 100, down from 101 in April, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI). The number of states represented on the list also held firm from the previous month, at 35 (including the District of Columbia).

The National Asphalt Pavement Association has opened registration for its 2012 Midyear Meeting, being held July 16-18 at the Drake Hotel on Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

The Clean Mining Alliance, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is pleased to announce the unveiling of its new industry association aimed at supporting and advocating technological advancements to make the mining industry cleaner and more environmentally responsible.

Chancellor Leo E. Strine, Jr. of the Delaware Chancery Court has temporarily blocked Martin Marietta Materials Inc. from making a hostile bid for Vulcan Materials Co. The judge ruled that Martin Marietta violated a nondisclosure agreement with Vulcan and used confidential information in forming its $5.3 billion bid and proxy fight. The ruling prevents Martin Marietta for a period of four months from prosecuting a proxy contest, making an exchange or tender offer, or otherwise taking steps to acquire control of Vulcan shares or assets and from any further violations of the two confidentiality agreements between the parties.

The Asphalt Pavement Alliance announced the winners of its 2011 Perpetual Pavement Awards program. These national awards are given to road-owning agencies for asphalt pavements that are at least 35 years old and have never had a structural failure. The average interval between resurfacing of each winning pavement must be no less than 13 years, and the road must demonstrate excellence in design, quality in construction and value for the traveling public.

Approaching the mid-way point for The Road Connection campaign, the two-man Road Connection team is eager to hit the highways again and take on the second half of the campaign schedule, which will include stops in California, New York and Texas, to name a few, according to KPI-JCI which is sponsoring the adventure.

According to the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), top-line funding levels for 12 appropriations bills were released April 24 and approved by the House Appropriations Committee the following day.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has supplied Rock Products with a list of the top 20 aggregates-producing companies for 2010, the most-current year for which the data is available. USGS routinely releases a listing of the top crushed stone producers, and top sand and gravel producers, but has stopped releasing the top aggregates producers for public consumption.

George Sidney, immediate past chairman of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s (NSSGA) Manufacturers & Services Division, named Tony Basolo, 1997 chairman of the National Stone Association and former president of Dolese Bros. Co., as the recipient of the 15th annual Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award for his dedication to the construction aggregates industry, his family and his community.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into a Combined Complaint and Consent Agreement (CCCA) with Holcim (US) Inc. (Holcim) in response to alleged violations of the Clean Water Act at its limestone and silica quarry and Portland cement plant located in Florence, Colo.

Sales of construction equipment by the world’s 50 largest manufacturers grew 25 percent last year to $182 billion, according to the annual Yellow Table survey by KHL Group. This was a record for the industry, surpassing the previous high of $168 billion set in 2008, prior to the global financial crisis.

FMI Corp. released its latest whitepaper, “The Federal Construction Sector: Understanding a Transforming Market.” Given the rapid transformations occurring in the federal construction sector, FMI examines the key forces accelerating these changes, as well as their effect on the industry.

Michelin North America will expand its operations in the United States, it was announced by Chairman and President Pete Selleck. Michelin, already the largest manufacturing employer in South Carolina, will break ground next week on a new Earthmover tire manufacturing plant in Anderson County. The company is also expanding its existing Earthmover tire facility in Lexington, S.C.

The Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) fired back at The Portland Cement Association (PCA) for its recent statements about road construction agencies, and PCA’s claim that “states are losing hundreds of millions of dollars due to outdated bidding policies that favor petroleum-based asphalt over other paving materials.”

Approximately 75 special investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) participated in refresher training that includes course work conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The two-week classroom instruction at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beaver, W.Va., covered topics such as using proper interview techniques to conduct thorough investigations, the use of injunctive relief in federal district courts, evaluating evidence, reviewing knowing and willful violations, and processing discrimination complaints.

In an updated investor presentation reinforcing its objections to Martin Marietta Materials’ hostile, stock exchange offer, Vulcan cited market, operating and product-pricing metrics where it excels against its would-be merger partner, coupled with differences between each company’s asset values.

Before leaving town for a two-week Easter recess, Congress passed a “clean” 90-day extension of Highway Trust Fund taxes, spending authority and program funding by a vote of 266 to 158 in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate. The president signed the extension on March 30.